Blocking machine



July 8, 1941. J. T. AULD BLOCKING MACHINE Filed 001:. 19, 1 939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1941- J. T. AULD 2,248,419

BLOCKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIII IIIIIIIIIXIIII U U I l l I l I l l I I I I I l I I I l l l l l l l. l

i g m m s k\ v :1 IL v July 8, 1941. J U D 2,248,419

BLOCKING MACHINE Fil ed Oct. 19, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheqt 3 July 8, 1941. J. T. AULD BLOCKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 8, 1941 rar I 2,248,419 I V BLOCKING MACHINE John Thomas Auld, TingleyQnear Leeds, England, assignor to R. W. Crabtree & Sons Limited, Leeds, England, a company of Great Britain Application October 19, 1939, Serial No..300,261

In Great Britain Augustlfil 1939 19 Claims.

In the process of blocking such. book covers it has been customary. for aspecial feed device to draw gold or full ribbon (i. e. a backing in the form of a long strip carrying thergold or foil) ,between two flat platens, one platen carrying a flat die plate and the other platencarrying the book cover, when these platenshavebeen separated. After the gold or foil ribbon has been fed by the feed device the platens come together in a face to face direction and under pressure so that the die plate embosses the gold or foil ribbon on r the book cover all over .the design of the die plate at the same instant; the two platens then being separated.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a rotary machine which will operate to block articles and more .especially book covers in rapid succession with the use of gold or foil ribbon. .7 I

Generally regarded, a rotary blocking machine according to this invention comprises a die cylinder to carry one or more curved dieplates and an impression cylinder, the article to be blocked being conveyed between the die cylinder and the impression cylinder as these cylinders rotate. The machine includesv means so to guide a ribbon between the cylinders that as they rotate the ribbon is progressively gripped between the articles and the design on the die plate and is progressively advanced thereby as the blocking operation proceeds by the die plate acting through the ribbon to imprint or, emboss its design in gold or foil on the article.

With such an arrangement only as much ribbon is advanced as is required by the design on the die plate. In short, the gold or foil ribbon is pulled through the machine by the die plate and the book cover coming on the gold or foil ribbon by rotary embossing contact with the said ribbons between the two rotating members. When several patterns are to be blocked as for example on the spine and front leaf of a book cover, separate ribbons could be employed, each ribbon being separately advanced depending on the diiferent designs on the plate (or plates) for the spine and front leaf.

Mechanism is provided to take-up the ribbon as it is advanced by the co-operation between the die plate and the cover.

As the ribbon or the various ribbons is or are fed through the machine by the rotary action of the heated die plate 'coming into embossing contact with the backingmaterial of the ribbonat the same instant as the .book cover comes into rotaryembossing contact with the gold. or foil coated side of the backing, the rolling action .of the rotary members permits of an improved finish to the surface of the gold or foil after the gold or foil has been deposited on the book cover.

By the use of the principle of rolling contact, the actual embossing contact is confined to one narrow surface at a given instant, thuslimiting the resultant pressure .onindividual members to a small amount. v

The die plate cylinder is arranged to enable a die plat or plates being fixed in different required positions; thus the surface of the die plate cylinder may be suitably grooved to allow of plate clamps being carried to fix die plates in various positions according to the size and design required on the blocked .book cover. The the plate cylinder may be made hollow to accommodate suitably controlled heating elements within it so that the die plates will be heated to the required degree to enable the blocking to .be successivelycarried out. c V

Theimpression cylinderis adjustable towards and away from the die plate cylinder so that various thicknesses of book covers can be embossed to any desired depth depending on the adjustment. The impression cylinder is-covered by ablanket so fixed that the blanket can be suitablypacked and made-ready to suit any design of blocking 0n the front or back of the book cover. .A separate blanket may also be provided and packed and made-ready to suit any design of blocking on the spine of the book cover.

The impression cylinder carries adjustable grippers to gripvthe covers and carry them around with the cylinder. The grippers are preferably operated by a cam runner and two separately adjustable cams may be arranged in such a manner that the said adjustable grippers are operated by the rotation of the impression cylinder round these cams. The book cover to be blocked is gripped by these adjustable grippers and carried sufiiciently far round the impression cylinder to enable the heated die plates on the die plate cylinder to deposit their various designs through the various gold or foil ribbons on to the said book cover. Means may be provided to enable the die plate cylinder to be moved independently of the impression cylinder so as to bring the die plate or the various die plates into correct register on the gripped book cover. Immediately after the book cover is blocked the adjustable one time by this means.

grippers holding the book cover may be released by means of one of the adjustable cams.

Means may be provided to hold the gold or foil ribbon or ribbons in correct position or alignment to the rotating members described above before and after the blocking of a book cover takes place.

The take-up mechanism may operate to take up a ribbon or ribbons under an adjustable tension, and this take-up mechanism may inciude means for pulling the blocked portion of th ribbon or ribbons in such a manner that the blocked (i. e. used) ribbon is re-wound on separate bobbins.

Means may be provided to strip. the gold or foil ribbon from the heated die plate and also to clean the heated die plate immediately after the heated die plate and the gold or foil ribbons have left the bookcover gripped by the impression cylinder after the blocking operation has been per- Iormed.

In order that the nature of this invention may be readily understood, reference will be made to one forinof construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: .Figures 1 and 2 are respectively side and end elevations partly in section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the die plate and the cover feeding the ribbon through the machine;

Figure 4 is an enlarged View of part of the ribbon take-up mechanism; 1

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a re-wind or take-up spindle; and a Figure 6 is an enlarged end elevation partly in section of the take-up mechanism shown in Figure 1. a Referring to Figures 1 and 2, 1 indicates the main side frames of the machine, and 2 a hollow die. plate cylinder having side flanges 28 and carried from the frame I by means of hollow gudgeon ends3 and t through suitable bearing blocks 5. Thegudgeon end 3 carries a spur gear 6 by which the die plate cylinder is driven and the gudgeon end 4 carries a spur gear 1 which drives the fold. or foil-ribbon take-up unit as hereinafter described. This gear 7 may also drive an inking mechanism for inking a die plate for embossing without the use of gold or foil. lhecylinder 2 is grooved both horizontally and. cylindrically with grooves 8 and nuts 9 are placed in. position in the grooves and counter-sunk headed screws Ill are passed through die plate I l and screwed into tapped holes in the nuts 9 causing the. die plate clamped to the outer surface of cylinder 2. Any

II to become tightly convenient number of die plates can be fixed at Die plates that cannot be fixed directly by screws Hi can be held by side clamps l2 clamped down by screws in screwing into the nuts 9. To enable the die plate cylinder 2 tobe rotated independently of any other rotating part of the machine and so to enable the die plate II to be brought exactly into register with the book cover according to the various positions of the desired designs on the blocked book cover, the cylinder 2 can be freed from its driving gear 6. For this purpose a flanged sleeve 13 (Figure 2) is keyed to gudgeon end 3 by means of key [4 and the flange of the sleeve I3 is slotted circumferentially with a T-slot or, if preferred, a dove-tailed slot l5 which receives the head of boltsl6 passingthrough the gear 6 which is loose on the sleeve l3. '2 to be adjusted, the bolts It are slackened and To permit the cylinder after the necessary register adjustment is made to the die plate cylinder, the spur gear 6 is tightly clamped to the flange of sleeve l3 by tightening the bolts I6.

In order to heat the die plate II, the following arrangement is employed: passing through the centre of the hollow die plate cylinder 2 is a stationary steel tube ll supported beyond the outer gudgeon ends 3 and 4 by fixed brackets 13 which are preferably incorporated in the design as gear guards for the spur gears 6 and 1. Two discs I9 and 20 are carried by the tube I1, the disc 19 being held in position by two collars and the other disc 20 being mounted loosely on the tube ll. These discs l9 and 20 are spaced at each end of the die-carrying surface of the hollow die plate cylinder 2 and heating elements 2| are fixed transversely across the die plate cylinder bore by screws to discs l9 and 20. The heating elements 2! are wired through tube I"! to one outer fixed bracket l8 on which is fixed a heat controlling switch 22. Varying degrees of heat can be maintained by switch 22. As the disc 2b is loosely mounted on the tube ll, the discs can accommodate themselves to expansion due to varying temperatures.

Numeral 23 (Figures 1 and 2) indicates a suitably shaped impression cylinder which conveys the book cover through the machine. This cylinder 23 is fixed to a steel shaft 24 which projects through the side frames 1 and is supported in these frames by eccentric bearings 40. On the extended end of the shaft 24 is fixed a spur gear 25 which is driven from the main drive at the same speed as die plate cylinder 2 but in the opposite direction. A large groove is cast in cylinder 23 to accommodate gripper and blanket tensioning mechanism to be described. Side flanges 2? are fixed on each end of the cylinder 23 in sucha manner that they come in rolling contact with the side flanges 26 on die plate cylinder 2. The cover to be blocked, shown at 39, is taken on the impression cylinders by grippers 29 on a shaft 28 which is pivotally mounted in the cylinder 23. The grippers are adjustable transversely along the shaft 28 and have gripper plates 30 which are adjustably mounted in dovetailed slots 3| on the grippers. 29. The plates 30 are adjusted in the slots 3| to obtain the desired amount of overlap of thegripper plates 30 to ensure a firm grip on the book cover 39 and then the gripper plates 30 are secured firmly to the grippers 29 by screws 32. The ends of the shaft 28 are supported in the flanges 21, one end being extended to have a cam lever 33 secured to it. On the free end of the cam lever 33 is carried a rotating cam runner 34 on a bearing stud 3 5, this cam runner engaging side cams 3E and 31 as the cylinder 23 rotates. The cam 35 allows the runner to drop under the urge of a spring 38 which pulls on the lever 33, the gripper rod 28 being rocked thereby and the plates 38 pulled down on to the cylinder 23. The cam 3-6 is located to enable this to occur just at the exact moment when book cover 39 touches the end face of the grippers 29. By the rotation of cylinder 23, the gripped book cover 39 is drawn through the machine until the grippers 29 are released by the cam runner 34 coming into contact with release cam 31. Releasecam 31 can be adjusted to allow for variations in lengths of various book covers used in the bookbinding industry.

For the purpose of enabling the impression cylinder 23 to be adjusted towards and away from the cylinder 2, gear quadrants 4| are fixed to the eccentric bearings 49 in which the shaft 24 is mounted and these quadrants engage with spur gears 42, fixed to a cross shaft 43 carried through the side frames I. On an extended end of the shaft 43 is fixed a suitable hand adjusting means such as the handle 44 so that by rotating the shaft 49 by hand, quadrants 4| are turned, thus causing the eccentric bearings 49 to rotate in the main frames i. This action, according to the direction of rotation, moves the cylinder 23 towards or from the cylinder 2 to accommodate the passage through the machine of book covers of any thicknesses. The main body of the cylinder 23 is covered by a suitable blanket 4'1 fixed by several pegs 45 at one end and to a winding shaft 46 at the other end, the shaft 45 being controlled by ratchet and pawl mechanism similar to customary arrangements on various printing machines. A narrow blanket 48 is also carried around the cylinder 23 on the top of the blanket 41 and is fixed and controlled in exactly the same manner as particularly described for the blanket 41, a winding shaft 48' being employed and this narrow blanket being provided for blocking the spine of a book cover. V y

In the machine illustrated, provision is made for two separate gold or foil ribbons one for the frontleaf of a cover and the other for the spine of the cover, although any desired number of ribbons may be used. As each ribbon is fed through by similar means, it will be sufiicient to describe the means whereby one ribbon is fed through the machine, the corresponding parts for the two ribbons having similar reference numerals. A ribbon 49 is mounted in reel form on a pre-constructed bobbin on a graduated reeloif shaft 50. Ribbon 49 is correctly placed in its particular position relative to its particular die plate I! fixed on the cylinder 2,.by means of a fixed flange 51 on one side and a flange 52 on the other. The flange 52 is held in position bya spring 53 carried on a screwed sleeve 54 on which is a nut 55. By fixing the sleeve 54 to the shaft 50 and then screwing the nut 55 againstthe spring53 suitable pressure is applied tothe ribbon. 49 through the flange 52 to enable the gold or foil ribbon to maintain a necessary tautness through the machine. Ribbon 49 is fed round a guide roller 55 and fixed smooth guide rods 57 and 58, so that the gold or foil ribbon passes exactly between cylinders 2 and 23 at the correct blocking level.

The guide stays 51 and 58 are so positioned that as the cylinders 2 and 23 rotate, the grippers gripping a cover 39, the heated die plate II will progressively grip the ribbon 49 between its design and the cover 39 and so will draw the ribbon through the machine as the rotary blocking operation proceeds, the gold or foil on the ribbon being at the same time deposited on the cover by the design on the die plate I i. The amount of ribbon drawn forward in this way will be only as much as is required for the blocking performed by the die plate I I and where several die plates are employed, each having a separate ribbon, the various ribbons will be drawn forward an amount depending upon the extent of design on its own die plate.

To prevent the book cover 39 from hitting the ribbon 49 before and after the cover 39 is gripped by the gripper 29, the stays 51 and 58 have fixed to them metal slippers 59 held in position by collars 59. Further, to enable the gold or foil ribbon to be separated from certain types of die plate I I, .a soft plush pad or deflector Bl is carried by the stay 58 fixed thereto by a suitable plate 62. This plush pad. 6| will also clean the die plate ll if it carries'any deposit from the ribbon 49.

Mechanism for taking-up the ribbon paid out during the blocking operation. will now be described. For each ribbon a similar mechanism is provided, sothat the similar parts have similar reference numerals applied to them. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the. spur gear I meshes with a spur gear 93 to which is fixed a sprocket 64, which drivesa sprocket 65 by chain 55 suitably tensioned by a sprocket 51 carried by a tension lever 68. A spur gear 69 is fixed to the sprocket 56 which drives a spur gear ll! through an idle spur gear HQ! Spur gear it rotates reel-through roller 12 in a manner hereinafter described: The gear train is so designed that one revolution of thedie plate cylinder 2 gives one revolution of the spur gear 10.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 4, the spur gear Hi rotates continuously with cylinders 2 and 23. Fixed to the gear 10 is a lever 13 shaped to provide a boss 74 which slidably supports a cam runner support and pawl .15. This is kept in correct working position by a coil compression spring 16 housed in the'boss i4 and the support 15 is prevented from coming out of the boss 14 by .a fixed collar, H. A cam runner 18 carried by the support 15 is operated by two stationary and separately adjustable cams T9 and 80, the cam 19 being fixed to a fixed shaft H5 by screwed nut H8, and the cam 85 being independently clamped to the cam 19. As the lever 73 rotates, the stationary cam 19 allows the cam runner support and pawl 75 to drop so that the pawl engages with a ratchet wheel BI. This ratchet wheel 8! is fixed to a sleeve 82 which is supported by a frame 83. and on the other end of sleeve 82 is fixed the reel-through roller 12 this roller being rubber coated to enable a good grip to be. taken on the ribbon 49. Thus when the pawl 15 is allowed to engage the. ratchet wheel 8| drive-is transmitted from the gear 79 to the roller 12 and this roller operates to draw on the ribbon paid out during the blocking operation. A pressure roller 94 engages with roller 12. The adjustable cam 85 lifts the pawl 15 and so stops the rotation of rollers 72 and 84 after the amount of ribbon 49 fed through the machine, has been drawn through. This operation of the rollers 12 and 84 occurs of course once in each rotation of the lever 13 and hence in one rotation of the cylinders 2 and 23 which perform a blocking operation in each rotation. The amount of ribbon drawn on by the rollers I2 and 84 can be adjusted by adjustment .of the cam 80 to suit the particular die plate in use. The ribbon 49 is now tightly stretched through the machine from ..the shaft 59 round roller 55, then round guide rods 51 and 58 and is now not in contact with any part of the rotating cylinders 2 and 29. The

rollers 12 and 84 are also supported by a frame 85. The pressure roller 84 is carried in eccentric parts 86 onbushes 86 and the pressure is adjusted by a handwheel 81 to which is attached worm 88 meshing with wormwheel 89, connected to the eccentric bushes through a shaft 89 supported in the frames 83, 85. Side runners 99 and flanges 9| are carried off a'fixed rod 92 by levers 93, this arrangement ensuring that the blocked part of the ribbon 49 is guided correctly through rollers 12 and 84. The reel-through rollers 12 and .84'begin to rotate only after the die plate I l on the cylinder 2 and the book cover 39 on cylinder 23 has started to feed ribbon 40 through the machine. No excessive tension is put on the blocked portion of the ribbon 49 between rollers I2 and 84 and the die plate II and book cover 39 when the plate II and cover 39 are in contact.

The Various rollers I2 are of such diameter as enables them, in a part of a rotation depending on the particular settingof the cams I9, 80, to take up the amount of ribbon paid out by the appertaining die plate II. For example, the upper roller I2 shown in Figure 1 may be used to take up ribbon paid out by the plate II to block the spine of the cover 39 and the lower roller I2 to take up the ribbon paid out by the plate I I to block the front leaf of the cover. As the amount of ribbon used to block the spine generally is greater than the amount to block the front leaf, the upper roller 12 is made of larger diameter than the lower roller I2.

The amount of ribbon 49 fed through rollers I2 and 84 is now re-wound on a separate bobbin 94 by mechanism now to be described.

Referring to Figure 5, the spur gear I (shown in Figures 1 and 4) meshes with an idle spur gear 95 which drives a spur gear 96 continuously at a fast suitable speed. The spur gear 90 runs freely on one end of a shaft/91 and carries a leather disc 98,'this disc being in frictional engagement with a flange 99 fast on the shaft 91. A sleeve I00 is slidable on shaft 91 and drives it through a key It. The end of the shaft 91 is threaded to carry a nut I02 which can push sleeve I00 up against a spring I03 to increase or decrease the friction between disc 99 and leather disc 98 according to the strength of ribbon 49, a lock nut I04 being provided to clamp the nut I02 in its fixed position when the correct friction pressure has been found. A ball thrust bearing I05 is inserted between the spur gear 96 and the frame 83. The other end of the shaft 97 carries a recessed collar I06, and this collar is recessed to take a hollow detachable rewinding shaft I08 which is driven by means of a peg I09 fixed in the sleeve I06 and engaging in a slot H0 in the end of the shaft I68. The other end of shaft I08 is supported by means of a brass stud III screwed into a head on a supporting shaft II2 extending through the frame 85 which in turn is counterbored to hold a compression spring. II3 which reacts against the head of shaft I I2 to bias the tube I 08 so that the slot H0 is releasably held in driving engagement with the pin I09. The head on the shaft H2 is prevented from so bearing on the end of the hollow re-wind shaft I08 as to cause undue friction by means of a collar II4 fixed on other end of the shaft H2 and bearing against the side vof frame 85. Between the collar I06 and the frame 83 is a ball thrust hearing I01 which takes the thrust from the spring II3. On the shaft I08 are fixed two adjustable collars II6 which bear on the re-winding bobbin 94 and so cause it to rotate. When now the ribbon 49 begins to be passed on by the rollers i2 and 84 the re-wind bobbin 94 is rotated by the friction between the leather disc .98on the constantly rotating gear 95 and friction flange 99. When the ribbon 49 passed on by the rollers I2 and 04 has been re-wound on to the bobbin 04 the strength of the ribbon holds the rewinding shaft I08 and the driving means as far as friction flange .99 stationary, thus causing the leather disc 98 to slip on the flange 99 until further ribbon is passed on by the rollers'I'Z, and 84. The re-winding shaft I68 and reel-off shaft 50 are both graduated by a marked scale to facilitate the rapid horizontal placing of the ribbon 49 when threading the ribbon 49 through the machine before the operation of blocking is begun.

When it is desired to remove the re-wound bobbin 94, the shaft I00 is moved endwise to the right (as seen in Figure 5) against the spring I I31so as to carry the left-hand end of the shaft I08 clear of the sleeve I06. The shaft I08 can then be moved clear of the stud III and the bobbin removed.

What I claim is:

1. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the cylinder, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked between the cylinders as they rotate, and means so to guide a blocking ribbon between the cylinders that as the cylinders rotate the ribbon is gripped between the die plate and the article and advanced to an extent dependent on the pattern on the die plate at the same time as the pattern is blocked on the article through the ribbon.

2. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the cylinder, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked between the cylinders as they rotate, a source of blocking ribbon supply, and means guiding ribbon from the supply freely between the cylinders so that as the cylinders rotate the ribbon is gripped between the pattern on the plate and the article and advanced as the blocking operation proceeds.

3. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the cylinder, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked between the cylinders as they rotate, a blocking ribbon supply spool, a ribbon take up spool, the ribbon being taken from the first spool, between the two cylinders and thence to the take up spool so that the ribbon is engaged between the die-plate and the article as the cylinders rotate, and means to operate the take-up spool to take -up ribbon paid-out by co-operation between the plate and article.

4. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the cylinder, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked between the cylinders as they rotate, a blocking ribbon supply spool, means to tension the supply spool, a ribbon take up spool, the ribbon being taken from the first spool, between the two cylinders and thence to the take up spool so that the ribbon is engaged between the dieplate and the article as the cylinders rotate and drive mechanism to drive the take-up spool to rewind ribbon paid out by co-operation between the die plate and the article during the blocking operation.

5. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the cylinder, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked between the cylinders as they rotate, a blocking ribbon supply spool, means to tension the supply spool, a ribbon take up spool, the

ribbon being taken from the first spool, between the two cylinders and thence to the take up spool ,so that the ribbon is engaged between the dieplate and the article as the cylinders rotate and drive mechanism to drive the take-up spool to rewind ribbon paid out by co-operation between the die plate and the article during the blocking operation, the said drive mechanism including a driving member constantly driven with the die and impression cylinders, and a slipping clutch connecting the drivin member to the take-up spool.

6. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the cyli inder, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked between the cylinders as they rotate, a blocking ribbon supply spool, means to tension the supply spool, a ribbon take up spool, the ribbon being taken from the first spool, between the two cylinders and thence to the take up spool so that the ribbon is engaged between the dieplate and the article as the cylinders rotate and drive mechanism to drive the take-up spool to rewind ribbon paid out by co-operation between the die plate and the article during the blocking operation, the said drive mechanism including pressure rollers between which biocked ribbon passes to the take-up spoolfrom the cylinders, a

positive drive mechanism to drive the rollers, and

means to adjust the drive mechanism to rotate the rollers through adjustable angular extents.

'7. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the 5 rewind ribbon paid out by co-operation between the die plate and the article during the blocking operation, the said drive mechanism including pressure rollers between which blocked ribbon is taken from the cylinders to the take-up spool, a positive drive mechanism to drive the rollers, means to adjust the drive mechanism to rotate the rollers through adjustable angular distances, and a slipping clutch arrangement to D drive the take-up spool.

8. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, curved die-plate means on said cylinder and providing a plurality of difierent pattern areas, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked at different sections between the cylinders and means so to guide a plurality of blocking ribbons, one for each section and pattern that as the cylinders rotate the respective ribbons are gripped between the corresponding pattern areas and the article so that the respective ribbons are respectively advanced to an extent dependent on the appertaining pattern, the pattern being at the same time blocked on the article through the ribbon.

9. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, curved die-plate means on said cylinder and providing a plurality of difierent pattern areas, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked at dilTerent sections between the cylinders, a plurality of sources of blocking ribbon supply, one source being provided for each pattern area, and means guiding the ribbons drive mechanism to drive the take-up spool to from the supply sourcesireely'between, thecyl-inders so that as the cylinders rotate the ribbons are respectively gripped between the appertaining pattern areas on the-die plate means and the article and are advanced thereby as the blocking operation proceeds.- r 7 10. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, curved die-plate mean's'on said cylinder and providing a plurality of different pattern areas, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked at difierentsectionsibetween the cylinders, a plurality of blocking-ribbonsupply spools one for eachlpattern areaof the die-plate means, a corresponding plurality-"of take-up spools, the ribbonsbeing taken fromthe supply spools then between thepcylinders tothe appertaining take-up'spool so: that the-ribbons are respectively engaged between the appertaining pattern area of the die plate means'sand the article as the cylinders rotate, and means to operate the take-up spools to take-up ribbon paidout by co-operation between the respective-pat- .tern areas and the article.

11. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, curved die-plate means on said cylinder and providing a plurality of different pattern areas, an impression cylinder; means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked at different sections between the cylinders, a plurality of blocking ribbon supply spools one for each pattern area of the die plate means, a corresponding plurality of takeup spools, the ribbons being taken from the supply spools then between the cylinders to the-appertaining take-up spool so that the ribbons are respectively engaged between the appertaining pattern area of the dieplate means and thegarticle as the cylinders rotate, and means to operate the take-up spools to take-up ribbon paid-out by co-operation between'the respective pattern areas and the article, said operating means including for each take-up spool a driving-member constantly driven with the die and impression cylinders, and a slipping clutch connecting'the driving member to the take-up spool. r

12. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, curved die-plate means on said cylinder and providing a plurality of different pattern areas, an impression cylinder," means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked at different sections between the cylinders, a plurality of blocking ribbon supply spools one for each pattern area of the dieplate means, a corresponding plurality of take-up spools, the ribbons being taken from the supply spools then between the cylinders to the appertaining take-up spool so that the ribbons are respectively engaged between the appertaining pattern area of the die plate means and the article as the cylinders rotate, and means to operate the take-up spools to take-up ribbon paid-out by co-operation between the respective pattern areas and the article, said operating means including for each take-up spool pressure rollers between which blocked ribbon passes to the takeup spool from the cylinders, a positive drive mechanism to drive the rollers, and means to adjust the drive mechanism to rotate the rollers through adjustable angular extents.

13. A blocking machine comprising in combination a hollow die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the cylinder, means within said hollow cylinder to heat the die plate, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked between the cylinders, as they rotate, and means so to guide a blocking ribbon between the cylinders that as the cylinders rotate the ribbon is gripped between the die plate and the article and advanced to an extent dependent on the pattern on the die plate at the same time as the pattern is blocked on the article through the ribbon.

14. A blocking machine comprising in combination a hollow die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the cylinder, means within said hollow cylinder to heat the die plate, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked between the cylinders as they rotate, a blocking ribbon supply spool, a ribbon take-up spool, the ribbon being taken from the first spool, between the two cylinders and thence to the take up spool so that the ribbon is engaged between the die-plate and the article as the cylinders rotate, and means to operate the take-up spool to take-up ribbon paidout by co-operation between the plate and article.

15. A blocking machine comprising in combonation a hollow die cylinder, curved die-plate means on said cylinder and providing a plurality of different pattern areas, means within said hollow cylinder to heat the die plate, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked at different sections between the cylinders, and means so to guide a plurality of blocking ribbons, one for each section and. pattern, that as the cylinders rotate the respective ribbons are gripped between the corresponding pattern areas and the article so that the respective ribbons are respectively advanced to an extent dependent on the appertaining pattern, the pattern being at the same time blocked on the article through the ribbon.

16. A blocking machine comprising in combination a hollow die cylinder, curved die-plate means on said cylinder and providing a plurality of different pattern areas, means within said hollow cylinder to heat the die plate, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, means to convey an article to be blocked at different sections between the cylinders, a plurality of blocking ribbon supply spools one for each pattern area of the die-plate means, a corresponding plurality of take-up spools, the ribbons being taken from the supply spools then between the cylinders to the appertaining takeup spool so that the ribbons are respectively engaged between the appertaining pattern area of the die plate means and the article as the cylinders rotate, and means to operate the take-up spools to take-up ribbon paid-out by co-operation between the respective pattern areas and the article.

17. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the cylinder, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, gripper means on said impression cylinder to convey an article to be blocked between the cylinders as they rotate, and means so to guide a blocking ribbon between the cylinders that as the cylinders rotate the ribbon is gripped between the die plate and the article and advanced to an extent dependent on the pattern on the die plate at the same time as the pattern is blocked on the article through the ribbon.

18. A blocking machine comprising in combination a die cylinder, a curved die-plate on the cylinder, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, gripper means on said impression cylinder to convey an article to be blocked between the cylinders as they rotate, a blocking ribbon supply spool, a ribbon take-up spool, the ribbon being taken from the first spool, between the two cylinders and thence to the take-up spool so that the ribbon is engaged between the dieplate and the article as the cylinders rotate, and means to operate the take-up spool to take-up ribbon paid-out by co-operation between the plate and article.

19. A blocking machine comprising incombination a die cylinder, curved die-plate means on said cylinder and providing a plurality of different pattern areas, an impression cylinder, means to rotate the cylinders, gripper means on said impression cylinder to convey an article to be blocked at different sections between the cylinders and means so to guide a plurality of blocking ribbons, one for each section and pattern, that as the cylinders rotate the respective ribbons are gripped between the corresponding pattern areas and the article so that the respective ribbons are respectively advanced to an extent dependent on the appertaining pattern, the pattern being at the same time blocked on the article through the ribbon.

, JOHN THOMAS AULD. 

